We are receiving lots of fur donations for our Cuddle Coats program and want to ship them to our wildlife rehab partners as soon as possible. Meet at the ARC office (co-located with Ethique Nouveau) at 317 W 48th St. in Minneapolis at 6:00 pm to help prep fur coats and accessories for shipment. Wear clothes that can get a little fuzzy. This is a great, low key way to volunteer and meet some of the other people in the group while helping to save animal lives.

We are receiving lots of fur donations for our Cuddle Coats program and want to ship them to our wildlife rehab partners as soon as possible. Meet at the ARC office (co-located with Ethique Nouveau) at 317 W 48th St. in Minneapolis at 6:00 pm to help prep fur coats and accessories for shipment. Wear clothes that can get a little fuzzy. This is a great, low key way to volunteer and meet some of the other people in the group while helping to save animal lives.

ARC In Action meetings are held every first and third Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm at our vegan store and ARC office, Ethique Nouveau, located at 317 W. 48th St. in South Minneapolis (on 48th St. between Lyndale and Nicollet). Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an ARC member or vegan or vegetarian to attend. Come out, meet other people who care about animals as much as you do, and see how you can get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail Chelsea at chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com.

ARC In Action meetings are held every first and third Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm at our vegan store and ARC office, Ethique Nouveau, located at 317 W. 48th St. in South Minneapolis (on 48th St. between Lyndale and Nicollet). Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an ARC member or vegan or vegetarian to attend. Come out, meet other people who care about animals as much as you do, and see how you can get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail Chelsea at chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com.

Stop by the ARC booth at the Midtown Farmers Market from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM on Saturday 8/8. The market is at Lake St. E and 22nd Ave. S. We\'ll be giving out info about how to go vegan and recipes for using all the veggies people get at the market, and talking to people about famed animal issues. Visit http://www.midtownfarmersmarket.org/ for more info.

Stop by the ARC booth at the Midtown Farmers Market from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM on Saturday 8/8. The market is at Lake St. E and 22nd Ave. S. We'll be giving out info about how to go vegan and recipes for using all the veggies people get at the market, and talking to people about famed animal issues. Visit http://www.midtownfarmersmarket.org/ for more info.

If you have to be picky about which protests you attend, pick this one from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Petland store at 2123 Old Hudson Road in St. Paul. Help send a message loud and clear that we are not going away until Petland stops selling animals from commercial breeders. Even if you can only come for part of the protest, please try to make it. The animals need you to help educate the public on their behalf. Invite your friends. Help us spread the word. Remember that we do not park or trespass in the Petland parking lot. Parking is available in the St. Paul Youth Services lot to the north of the strip mall. More info and RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/

If you have to be picky about which protests you attend, pick this one from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Petland store at 2123 Old Hudson Road in St. Paul. Help send a message loud and clear that we are not going away until Petland stops selling animals from commercial breeders. Even if you can only come for part of the protest, please try to make it. The animals need you to help educate the public on their behalf. Invite your friends. Help us spread the word. Remember that we do not park or trespass in the Petland parking lot. Parking is available in the St. Paul Youth Services lot to the north of the strip mall. More info and RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/

North Vegans will be hosting a Soul Food & Southern Cooking: Vegan Style cooking class on Saturday, August 8 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Parkway United Church of Christ, 3120 Washburn Ave. N in Minneapolis. This free cooking class is limited to the first 15 participants, and preference will be given to North Minneapolis residents. RSVP by emailing chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com

North Vegans will be hosting a Soul Food & Southern Cooking: Vegan Style cooking class on Saturday, August 8 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Parkway United Church of Christ, 3120 Washburn Ave. N in Minneapolis. This free cooking class is limited to the first 15 participants, and preference will be given to North Minneapolis residents. RSVP by emailing chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com

You\'ve heard about circus protests and the criticisms circuses receive for having wild animals in their shows. But what about the domestic animals? What about the announcement Ringling made about \"retiring\" their elephants in three years? If things are that bad, why isn\'t there a law against it? We\'ll go over some of the most commonly cited arguments so you\'ll be prepared to speak to folks who don\'t yet have all the facts. We\'ll go over the current state of animal circuses in the United States and around the globe, and we\'ll talk about local efforts here to raise awareness around both circuses and the exotic animal rides at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Event is at Augsburg Park Library meeting room, 7100 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis from noon to 2:00pm. RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/events/223791631/

You've heard about circus protests and the criticisms circuses receive for having wild animals in their shows. But what about the domestic animals? What about the announcement Ringling made about "retiring" their elephants in three years? If things are that bad, why isn't there a law against it? We'll go over some of the most commonly cited arguments so you'll be prepared to speak to folks who don't yet have all the facts. We'll go over the current state of animal circuses in the United States and around the globe, and we'll talk about local efforts here to raise awareness around both circuses and the exotic animal rides at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Event is at Augsburg Park Library meeting room, 7100 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis from noon to 2:00pm. RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/events/223791631/

The Animal Rights Coalition operates Ethique Nouveau; a vegan boutique, where all purchases help fund our animal advocacy programs, at 317 W. 48th St. in Minneapolis. The ARC office is located at the same address.

We won this one in Minnesota when pound seizure was banned in April of 2012!

We will continue to work to help other states end the practice of pound seizure, whereby animals in shelters can be claimed by licensed institutions for experimentation purposes.

In Memory of Cecil and All Other Animals

July 29th, 2015

Jane Goddall said it best: “I was shocked and outraged to hear the story of Cecil, Zimbabwe’s much loved lion. Not only is it incomprehensible to me that anyone would want to kill an endangered animal (fewer than 20,000 wild lions in Africa today) but to lure Cecil from the safety of a national park and then to shoot him with a crossbow…? I have no words to express my repugnance. He was not even killed outright, but suffered for hours before finally being shot with a bullet. And his magnificent head severed from his wounded body. And this behaviour is described as a “sport.” Only one good thing comes out of this – thousands of people have read the story and have also been shocked. Their eyes opened to the dark side of human nature. Surely they will now be more prepared to fight for the protection of wild animals and the wild places where they live. Therein lies the hope.”

The Animal Rights Coalition hopes that Cecil’s murder will not only open peoples’ eyes to the senseless killing of wild animals for “sport”, whether that be lions in Africa or bears in Minnesota, but that it will also cause people to think about all of the animals killed daily, whether for sport, supposed entertainment, or a temporary craving for a hamburger. Consider moving to a plant-based diet and make the world a more peaceful place, both for yourself and for the animals.

Growth. Innovation. Opportunity.

July 27th, 2015

Growth. Innovation. Opportunity. 2014 was a year of strategic expansion for ARC. We saw victories and growth in our programs and campaigns to help animals. We experimented with new ideas for outreach via social media online, tried out new events and venues for in-person outreach, and improved our volunteer program with formal training for volunteers in specific areas of outreach. We learned a lot and we’re putting that new knowledge to work right now.

We want to thank our volunteers and donors for your gifts of time and funds in 2014. You are the backbone of the work we do. None of what we accomplish could be done without you. Our organization is only as extraordinary as those who support us. Together we’ll continue to think outside the box and learn and grow, putting each new lesson to work as we reshape the world for animals. Please check out our 2014 Annual Report to see what we accomplished for animals with your help.

Circuses: Traveling Torture for Animals

July 22nd, 2015

ARC volunteers organized a demonstration against the Carson & Barnes circus in St. Michael on Tuesday, July 21 and reminded the public that wild animals are wild, not playthings for our amusement. Thank you to all for standing up for animals used in entertainment!

Carson & Barnes was cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) earlier in 2015 for failing to provide adequate veterinary care to Nina the elephant, who lost 500 pounds over just a few months. The circus has also been cited for using excessive force with a bullhook—a weapon that resembles a fireplace poker with a sharp hook on one end—and paid a penalty to the USDA after undercover video footage showed a trainer violently attacking elephants with a bullhook.

The USDA filed a formal complaint against Carson & Barnes in May 2015 for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). According to the complaint and news reports, the circus allowed three elephants—Viola, Kelly, and Isa—to run amok for 45 minutes at a performance in St. Charles, Missouri last year. The animals reportedly became “stressed” after circus performers asked the approximately 8,000 audience members to create loud noises by, among other things, stomping on the metal bleachers. The circus’s actions put the public in danger and caused the animals to sustain abrasions and lacerations.

How can we put a stop to this traveling torture of animals? – refuse to attend circuses with animal acts and ask your friends and family to do the same.

Befriending Bugs: 4 Ways to be a Bug Buddy

June 25th, 2015

You’d have to be living under a rock with the pillbugs not to have heard the buzz about the trouble with bees these days. And I hear even the pillbugs are starting to get a little antsy. Bees are important to most forms of life because they act as the primary pollinators for so many plants, including most of the fruits and vegetables that humans need to be healthy. While we as individuals aren’t the primary perpetrators when it comes to spraying the chemicals killing bees, there are things we can do to create a safe haven in the spaces we care for. And we can be kind to other bugs with whom we share the earth, too.

1. Take home a bee house, butterfly house, or insect hotel from our vegan boutique, Ethique Nouveau. These unique and fun structures provide a customized habitat for insects, encouraging them to move in and stay awhile.

2. When mosquitos land on you, instead of slapping and killing them, simply blow on them and they’ll fly away. To discourage them from hanging out on you, try one of the new, all natural, chemical-free Para Kito clips we carry at Ethique Nouveau.

3. Pass on the pesticides and chemicals for your lawn. Not only are these substances toxic to insects, but they can also harm companion, wild, and aquatic animals when they wash into streams and lakes.

4. Listen to your inner child and embrace dandelions! Remember when you were a kid and loved to pick those cheerful yellow flowers? Sometimes grownups get things wrong – and being crabby about dandelions is one of them. They, and clover, are wildflowers and provide important food for bees.

In U.S., More Say Animals Should Have Same Rights as People

May 24th, 2015

Americans increasingly think that animals should have the same rights as people when it comes to protection against harm and exploitation according to new Gallup polling on the issue. About a third of Americans, 32%, believe animals should be given the same rights as people. This strong animal rights view is up from 2008 when 25% thought animals’ rights should be on par with humans. Very few Americans, just 3%, now believe animals require little protection from harm and exploitation “since they are just animals.”

Two More Great Events in May

May 4th, 2015

Join ARC’s North Vegans for a free showing of Cowspiracy at Parkway United Church of Christ, 3120 Washburn Ave. N, Minneapolis on Thursday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m. We’ll have a Q&A after with vegan snacks provided. Cowspiracy follows filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry on the planet today – and investigates why leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. RSVP on Facebook or Vegan Meetup.

On Sunday, May 17 it’s time for the 7th Annual Global Vegan Waffle Party from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Fuller Park Building, 4800 Grand Ave., Minneapolis. Each year, the Waffle Party allows us to begin a conversation about where our food comes from and the effects of our food choices. Here’s how it works: We make a lot of vegan waffles. You come to the party with a plate to pile high with waffles and a vegan topping to share. (Topping suggestions: fruit, maple syrup, chocolate chips, peanut butter, fruit sauce, compote, Just Like Honey, coconut, nuts, vegan whipped topping.) It’s free and Fuller park has a playground and a field perfect for tossing a frisbee, so now that the sun is finally out, you can connect with nature too! RSVP on Facebook or Vegan Meetup.

Start May Off Right with Two Outreach Events

April 28th, 2015

ARC will be at the Wellness Expo at Ames Arena in Lakeville, Minnesota on Saturday, May 2 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. doing food sampling. We’ll be giving away all vegan Beyond Chicken Strips and Just Mayo samples. We still have a couple openings for the 9-1 and 1 to 5 shifts; if you’re interested in joining us for this fun, easy food sampling event, just email Chelsea at chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com

That same weekend we’ll be marching in the May Day Parade and hosting a table at the May Day Festival in Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis afterwards to spread the word about the Humane Farming Myth along with other issues related to animal agriculture. It all happens on Sunday, May 3 from noon – 8:00 p.m. Let Chelsea know if you’re interested in marching, tabling, leafleting, or all of the above. This is going to be an exciting and fun-filled day!

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale – Lucky Number 7!

March 25th, 2015

The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale-Twin Cities Style is the biggest and best bake sale of the year and we’re excited to be putting on our seventh WWVBS this year. Come to Ethique Nouveau, 317 West 48th St. in Minneapolis from noon to 4:00 pm on Sunday, April 26 and stock up on lots of vegan goodies. Sweets and savories, we’ll probably even have treats for dogs. Just remember to bring some kind of container to haul your loot home because we’ll be charging for boxes in an attempt to make the event as waste free as possible.

The World Wide Vegan Bake Sale was started in 2009 to raise awareness about the joys of vegan baking. It’s always a delicious and fun way to introduce the public to vegan baked goods and let them know that animal suffering doesn’t have to be part of the recipe. Inspired to learn more about vegan baking? Here’s links to lots of recipes.

Please email chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com if you would like to donate baked goods. Make sure to write the ingredients down to display with your goodies so that allergy sufferers are well-informed and safe. We also request that items be donated pre-wrapped or cut so that they’re easier to divvy up. You can drop off baked good donations between 11:00-11:45 am on the day of the sale or between noon-5:00 pm the day before the sale. All proceeds from the sale benefit the Animal Rights Coalition’s programs to help animals.